Hits: 38

WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From the Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. January 22, 2015:

The Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo outlined an ambitious Opportunity Agenda in his State of the State speech Wednesday. Here is a synopsis of his major proposals. At the end of this list you may read perhaps the longest news release he has ever issued, detailing the proposals step-by-step by clicking on the phrase “view the press release here,” and for policy buffs really into the action you read his Policy Book by clicking on the phrase: “2015 Opportunity Agenda Policy Book.” (At the end of this  report.)

• Enact $1.7 billion in property tax relief for 1.3 million homeowners and tax relief for more than one million renters
• Cut small business taxes from 6.5% to 2.5%
• Pursue a bold and innovative pre-K to 12 agenda, including professionalizing teaching; strengthening teacher evaluations; rewarding excellent teachers with performance pay; transforming the state’s failing schools; expeditiously but fairly removing ineffective teachers from the classroom; and expanding choice for charter schools and enacting an Education Tax Credit
• Continue to build our economy through a $1.5 billion Upstate New York Economic Revitalization Competition, a new round of Regional Economic Development investments, the creation of a $35 million Global New York Export-Import Development fund, and numerous other programs
• Build a new New York with a comprehensive plan to strengthen and modernize our infrastructure, including modernizing NY’s airports; building new Metro-North stations in the Bronx; upgrading upstate ports and rail depots; and investing in repairs and upgrades of our roads and bridges throughout the state
• Ensure statewide high-speed broadband access by 2019
• Raise the minimum wage to $10.50 statewide and $11.50 in NYC as part of a ten-point Anti-Poverty Opportunity Agenda
• Enact a ten-point Women’s Equality Agenda
• Ensure a fair and equal justice system for all New Yorkers
• Expand SUNY’s Sexual Assault Policy statewide to private colleges and universities
• Pass real campaign finance reform to reduce the influence of money in our political system
• Raise the age within New York’s outdated juvenile justice laws to change how the justice system treats youth offenders
• Watch a video of the Governor’s presentation here.